With an increasing quantity of mobile users and a requirement for high-speed service experience, network layering and MSA (multi-stream aggregation) technologies are to be perfectly combined in a future wireless network. In this way, a mobile user in any location of the network can enjoy a high-speed and stable data connection service, thereby implementing an ultra-wideband, zero-wait time, and ubiquitous mobile broadband service and bringing high-speed and high-quality service experience.
Network layering refers to a multi-layer network architecture, including a host layer and a boosting layer. Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a network layering architecture. The host layer is mainly used to ensure network coverage and mainly includes a macro cell. By using an established host link, for example, a host link between users UEs (user equipment) 1 to 4 in FIG. 1, the host layer provides signaling transmission and basic data transmission for a user, provides a ubiquitous connection, and ensures a reliable basic service. The boosting layer is mainly used to increase network capacity and may include networks in various forms, such as a small cell (small cell, which may be a micro cell, a pico cell, a femto cell, or the like) and a WiFi AP (Wireless Fidelity node) (which may be a wireless local area network based on the IEEE 802.11b standard, an access point, or an access node) in FIG. 1. By using an established boosting link (boosting link system), the boosting layer provides high-rate data transmission for a user, and provides optimal user service experience for the user.
MSA is a key technology for organically integrating the host layer and the boosting layer. MSA uses a centralized node BBU pool (base band unit pool) or an SRC (single radio controller) and multiple distribution nodes to provide multi-stream aggregation for a user, that is, data on a network side may be sent to UE by using multiple transmission paths, thereby further improving user experience and increasing network capacity.
Referring to FIG. 2, FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of multi-stream data transmission in the prior art. UE accesses a cellular network by using a base station, and the base station uses a wireless backhaul device between the base station and the Internet to enable a data communication link between the UE and the Internet, so that the UE accesses the Internet. UE accesses a WLAN (wireless local area network) network by using a WiFi AP, and the WiFi AP uses a wireless backhaul device between the WiFi AP and the Internet to enable a data communication link between the UE and the Internet, so that the UE accesses the Internet. The base station and the WiFi AP may be referred to as access nodes for the UE to access a network.
Ina multi-stream data transmission scenario, UE may implement multi-stream transmission of data by using transmission paths between multiple base stations of a cellular network and the Internet, and/or transmission paths between multiple WiFi APs of a WLAN network and the Internet. Based on a network architecture shown in FIG. 2, during multi-stream data transmission in the prior art, a traffic distribution/aggregation control point of an MSA service shown in FIG. 2 is used to control traffic distribution and aggregation of a multi-stream transmission service. In addition, when a resource of an access link of the base station is available, and a resource of an access link of the WiFi AP is available, multiple data transmission paths are enabled, thereby implementing multi-stream transmission of data to UE.
The inventor of the present application finds through study that: in the network architecture shown in FIG. 2, the cellular network and the WLAN network are two independent networks, whose resources are independent; in particular, a first segment of transmission resource (a resource of a wireless backhaul link between a wireless backhaul device of the base station or a wireless backhaul device of the WiFi AP and a wireless backhaul device of the Internet shown in FIG. 2) close to a base station or WiFi AP side is also independent and cannot be shared. In the prior art, when the resource of the access link of the base station is available, and the resource of the access link of the WiFi AP is available, multi-stream transmission of data is enabled, without considering whether a resource of a wireless backhaul link on the base station or WiFi AP side is available. If multi-stream transmission is used when resources of a wireless backhaul link are insufficient, a data transmission rate may be reduced, and a failure to provide high-speed user service experience of multi-stream transmission may be caused.